The bounty of Toba, in a dish only available here.
Behind the Scenes of a Seaside Resort's Rebranding

The narrator of this story

Iconia Hospitality K.K.
FB Development 2 Manager

Hironori Iwasaki

Hironori Iwasaki

He joined the company in 2016. After serving as head chef at a hotel within the group, he is now responsible for food and beverage development at accommodations nationwide at the head office. Utilizing his knowledge from his French culinary background, he designs dining experiences rooted in the local culture and traditions. He is such a cooking enthusiast that he even cooks in his home kitchen on his days off.

Toba Ocean Resort All-Inclusive Hotel
Food and Beverage Department Manager

Moe Higashioka

Moe Higashioka

Originally from Shima City, Mie Prefecture. Since joining the company, she has steadily gained experience in the food and beverage department. Currently, as the Food and Beverage Manager, she is responsible for dishwashing operations that connect the kitchen and the dining area, as well as the overall management Restaurant, leading a team of young staff members, mostly in their 20s. On her days off, she enjoys eating her way through Okage Yokocho and shopping in Nagoya.

A bold transformation of a resort overlooking Toba Bay

Surrounded by the abundant nature of Ise-Shima and offering panoramic views of the tranquil Toba Bay, Toba Ocean Resort was reborn this August as an all-inclusive accommodation where guests can enjoy drinks and snacks without any worries during their stay.

At the heart of this transformation was a major reassessment of the role of the interior spaces and the way food is presented.

The hotel once had two Restaurant, one serving Japanese cuisine and the other French. The French Restaurant on the second floor, in particular, boasted a two-story atrium offering panoramic ocean views, making it the most elegant space in the hotel. However, only a select few guests who chose French cuisine for dinner could enjoy this prime location.

We want all our guests to be able to relax and enjoy their stay here while gazing at the sea.

With that in mind, we decided to open up the second floor as an ocean-view lounge where all guests can relax freely during the renovation.

At the same time, Food was consolidated into a single dining area on the top floor (4th floor). The traditional format of choosing between Japanese or Western cuisine was abandoned, and a complete overhaul was undertaken to create a new course menu that transcends genre boundaries, allowing guests to savor the bounty of Toba.

The person entrusted with creating the menu as the development manager was Iwasaki, who is in charge of F&B development for the group.

A minimalist cooking method that brings out the natural flavor of the ingredients.

In developing the menu, Iwasaki faced the challenge of how to harmonize the resort's worldview with the expectations of its guests.

With every room boasting an ocean view, the hotel's interior is a resort space adorned with bright light and vibrant blues reminiscent of the French Riviera. While Western-style courses naturally fit in with its sophisticated atmosphere, what guests visiting Toba look forward to most is the abundant seafood and fresh sashimi from Ise-Shima.

What was required was a visually stunning and exciting dish that satisfied both the "luxurious resort feel" and the "authentic seafood to be savored at a travel destination." Faced with this challenging task, Iwasaki sought an approach that was not bound by conventional forms.

"Toba is strongly associated with seafood, and customers have very high expectations. That's why we didn't want to simply serve fresh fish and have them eat it with soy sauce—that's just the 'obvious' way. To allow them to fully appreciate the flavor of the ingredients, we wanted to create a 'perfect dish' that is balanced to be delicious even without soy sauce."

After much trial and error, Iwasaki arrived at a "subtractive cooking" approach that directly brings out the best in the ingredients. Instead of layering complex flavors, he stripped away unnecessary elements to highlight the inherent deliciousness of the ingredients. He carefully assessed the unique characteristics of each ingredient and pursued the optimal preparation method to bring out the most delicious flavor.

Sashimi without a soy sauce dish: "A Palette of Nine Flavors"

The dish created to symbolize this is the "Ise-Shima Bounty Sashimi Platter (A Palette of Nine Flavors)," which kicks off the course.

The dish brought to the table is a colorful array of seafood arranged neatly in a container resembling a painter's palette. The most distinctive feature of this dish is the deliberate absence of a soy sauce dish. Instead of customers dipping the food in soy sauce to determine the flavor, each of the nine ingredients has already been seasoned with the most suitable pre-seasoning and condiments. For example, salted white fish is garnished with citrus, and whitebait from Toshijima Island is paired with fermented fish innards.

Each bite offers a delightful gradation of textures and aromas, exuding a resort-like elegance while creating a special culinary experience that takes you on a journey through the richness of the Ise-Shima sea.

This philosophy of "simply bringing out the best in the ingredients" is evident not only in the seafood but also in the meat dishes that grace the course menu.

For example, we chose a "soup-style" preparation for Matsusaka beef, a specialty of Mie Prefecture. Instead of layering flavors with a rich sauce, we combined the tender, slow-cooked meat with a flavorful broth made from bonito flakes, kelp, and vegetables. This dish, which highlights the inherent strength of the ingredients, brings a sense of satisfaction to the course.

Lively conversation, unpredictable time... The struggles of a young food and beverage team.

While new dishes were taking shape, the team was busy setting up the system to deliver them to customers every night. At the heart of this effort, bringing the team together, was Higashioka, the food and beverage manager, who hails from Shima City, the local area.

From the rebranded opening on August 1st until after the Obon holiday, the hotel entered its busiest period, welcoming many guests every day. Although Higashioka and the food and beverage staff had received training at affiliated facilities, they quickly encountered unexpected challenges. Because of the all-inclusive policy, which allowed guests to enjoy drinks without hesitation, their stays extended longer than anticipated, nearly disrupting the two-seating dinner schedule.

"It was truly wonderful to see our guests enjoying their Food. However, that meant we couldn't predict how quickly each table was finishing their meal."

As a result, there was a discrepancy between the instructions given by Higashioka, who was in charge of overseeing the entire operation from the dishwashing area connecting the kitchen and the dining area, and the actual progress at each table.

It was past 9:30 pm, when the restaurant was closing. The food and beverage staff, mostly in their twenties, gathered in Restaurant after they had finished cleaning up.

"Let's share more frequent updates with the dishwashing staff about the progress of Food and drinks at each table."

"For customers in the first half of the evening who have finished Food and are enjoying their drinks at a leisurely pace, how about saying something like, 'If you'd like, would you like to continue your drinks in the lounge on the second floor? We also have some light snacks available.'"

Every night for an hour, we held meetings to discuss and refine each of the issues we had brought to the table, and these meetings continued daily until after the Obon holiday.

As operations became more organized, the tension disappeared from the staff's faces. Higashioka recalls that change as follows:

"At first, everyone was overwhelmed, but gradually we had more opportunities to talk with our customers. We would speak to customers who seemed unsure about how to eat the food, or point out the window and say, 'These whitebait were caught right here on Tōshi Island.' The moments when customers told us they had a good time were our greatest support."

The late-night discussions among the young team brought a warm energy and sense of unity to the newly renovated dining area.

Free time spent gazing at the sea

The changes brought about by the renovation are not limited to Food area. If you visit the newly established lounge on the second floor, you will be greeted by a panoramic view of Toba Bay, allowing you to relax and unwind without any worries.

In the morning, enjoy a drink in the soft light, and during the day, gaze at the sparkling blue sea through the large glass windows. The open, airy space features a draft beer server, local liquor, and citrus-based detox water, allowing you to quench your thirst with your favorite drink whenever you like during your stay.

"The sea in Toba is truly calm, and just gazing at it brings peace to the mind. I think the greatest luxury here is simply relaxing and doing nothing."

As Iwasaki says, there's something about this place that makes time seem to slow down. Higashioka also feels that the lounge has made a difference to his stay.

"Previously, there were limited places to relax outside of Guest rooms, but now we have a place where you can unwind and enjoy yourself without worrying about the time. You're free to relax quietly in your room or to casually go down to the lounge and gaze at the sea. We hope you enjoy your time here."

As the seasons change, evolution continues.

Following the rebranding and reopening in August, staff are continuing to improve services to ensure an even more comfortable stay.

In addition to soaking in Hot springs bath overlooking Toba Bay, there are plenty of other all-inclusive delights to enjoy after dinner, such as the special "Ise Lobster-flavored Shrimp Ramen" served in the lounge in the evening.

As Toba transitions from autumn to winter, its culinary delights become even more pronounced. Fatty Spanish mackerel caught in the Ise-Shima Islands and the famous oysters, among other bountiful seafood, will come into season one after another. In line with the changing seasons, the cuisine and experiences within the hotel will also take on new colors.

Enjoy dishes that truly showcase the quality of the ingredients, warm hospitality from the staff, and the luxury of doing nothing. If you're looking to fill your heart with the rich flavors of Ise-Shima and surrender yourself to the ever-changing ocean views, then please come to the newly renovated Toba Ocean Resort.

Toba Ocean Resort
All-inclusive hotel

1061-9 Anrakujima-Toba-shi Mie Prefecture
View free shuttle service and Access >

TEL：050-5443-6483

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